Vacuum heating system.



No. 816,972. PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

C. A. DUNHAM.

VACUUM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.16. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E-lii WITNESSES: L

IIVVENTOI? C zagfan, J hFun/zarn/ ATTOk/VEYS PATENTED APR. s, 1906. 0.A. DUNHAM. VACUUM HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION TILED MAE.16.190'5.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2 WIT/V5883.-

ATTORNEYS CLAYTON A. DUNHAM, OF MARSHALTJTOW N, IOWA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A ril a, 1906.

Application filed March 16, 1905. Serial No. 250,403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON AUBRA DUN- HAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Marshalltown, in the county of Marshall andState of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements 1n Vacuum.

Heating Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of the invention is to provide certain new and usefulimprovements in vacuum heating systems whereby a thorough and uniformheating is insured, a partial vacuum may be maintained throughout thesystem, only one pump is employed for returning the 'water ofcondensation directly to the boiler, the use of air-escape valves on theradiators or like heating mediums is dispensed with, and the air in thewater of conden'sation is separated from the water and is discharged atthe pump which latter is kept primed at all times.

The invention consists of novel features and arts and combinations ofthe same, as will e more fully described hereinafter and then pointedout in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a art of this specfication, in whichsimilar aracters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. -2 is an endelevation of the pump and the parts connected therewith.

. Fig.3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the diaphragmcontrolling-valve. Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse section of the coupling for'the said valve, the section being on the couplin -block.

the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig, 5 is a plan view of Fig. 6 is an enlargedvalve between the air-chamber of the pump and the airseparating chamber.Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 8 is an enlargedsectional side elevation of the pump-governor, and Fig. 9 is a sectionalview of the expansion steam-trap.

The return-flow pipes A from the radiators B are. each provided with anexpansion steam-trap C and a check-valve C, and the said pipes Adischarge the water of condensation and the air contained therein into awaterq'eceiving chamber ED, connected by a pipe E with thesuction-chamber of a pump F, having its discharge-pipe G extending to aheater H to heat the water of condensation prior to passing it into aboiler I by a pipe .G, leading from the heater H to the boiler I.

The heater H is preferably heated by the steam to be used in theradiators B, and for this purpose the, steam-such as exhauststeam, forinstance is passed by a pipe J into the heater H with a view to separateany oil that may be contained in the steam prior to passing the steamfrom the heater H by way of the pipe J and branch pipes J to theradiators to be heated.

In order to separate the air that passes with the water of condensationinto the suction-chamber of the pump F, the following device isprovided: The upper end of the airchamber F of the pump F is connectedwith an air-separating chamber K by means of a manually-controlledgraduating-valve L, and

'theupper end of the air-separating chamber K is provided with anescape-pipe K for the air. The air-separating chamber K is also providedwith a water-gage K and the said chamber is connected by a pipe N withthe suction-chamber of the pump F, as plainly indicated in Fig. 2, andin this pipe N are arran ed a check-valve N and a valve 0, controlled bya diaphragm F, arran ed within a diaphragm-casing P, connected y a pipe1? with the lower end of the air-separating chamber K. The valve-stem Oof the valve 0 is connected by a coupling-block O with a stem 0 attachedto the diaphragm P, and the said coupling-block O is engaged by a leverO, fulcrumed at O on the valve-casing and provided with a suitableweight 0. When the dia hragm P is in a lowermost position, asillhstrated in Fig. 3, then the valve 0 is closed and the flow of waterfrom the air-separating chamber K by way of the pipe N to thesuction-chamber of the pump F is shut oil. When the pump is in operationand the water of condensation is drawn from the receiver D into thesuctionchamber, then any air contained in the said water asses upthrough the air-chamber F and va ve L into the air-separating chamber K,in which it separates from the water and escapes through the pipe K tothe atmos phere. The water passing up through the air-chamber F andvalve L into the air-separating chamber K rises therein, and when it hasreached a certain height then the column ofwater in the said chamber Kexerts sufficient pressure on the under side of the diaphragm P to movethe same upward, and in doing so the connected stems O and 0 lift thevalve off its seat, and water can now pass from the air-separatingchamber K by way of the'pipe N into the suction-chamber of the pump F tokeep the latter primed. By

- mally, however, the valve 0 is open, so that a continuous flow ofwater takes place from the air-separating chamber K to the suctiontakingthe water from the chamber K a distance below the level thereof it isevident that no air can pass by way of the pipe N into thesuction-chamber of the pump, as the'air is separated fiom the waterabove the level and escapes throughthe pipe K to the atmosphere.

and the flow of water in the pipe N is shut off until the water hasagain risen to the'desired level in the air-separating chamber K. Norchamber of the pump F by way of the pipe N. The water forced by thepump F by wayof the discharge-pipe G into the boiler I is heated by thesteam in the heater H, so that the Water ls'passed in a heated conditiondirectly from the pump F into the boiler I without the use of an openheater and a separate pump, as heretofore used in vacuum heatingsystems. The pump F is provided at the steam-inlet pipe F with avalve F(see Fig.

8,) controlled y a governor Q, connected by a pipe R with the receiver Dand by a pipe R r with the heating-mains. The pipes R and R open intothe governor Q at opposite sides of a piston Q, connected with the valveF to throttle the same with a view to maintain a certain predeterminedvacuum in the refcelver D. By the arrangement described a partialvacuumis maintained throughout the entire system, and all the air and thewater of condensation is drawn by the pump F through the traps- G into iwhere the air is separated from the water of condensation by the use ofthe air-separatingchamber K, and the pump is kept primed bywater flowingfrom the chamber K to the suc pump. Thus air-valves tion-chamber of thein the radiators can be entirely dispensed With. i

It is understood that the expansion steamtraps 0 allow the passage ofwater and air to the receiver D, but prevent the passage of steam.

' Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters,

Patent- I l. A vacuum heating system provided with 'a pump formaintaining a partial vacuum in the system and for forcing the'water ofcondensation back intothe boiler, and'an airseparating chamber connectedwith the airchamber of the pump and with the suctionchamber of the pump,whereby the air will be separated from the water of condensation If thewater in the air-separabing chamber K falls below a certain level,' thenthe diaphragm P is moved downward by the action of the weighted lever Oand connected parts, so that the valve-O closes the receiver 'D,

prior to the discharge .of the water from the pump and the pump keptprimed.

2. A vacuum heating system provided with a pump, for maintaining apartial vacuum in the system and for forcing the water of condensationback into the boiler, an air-separating chamber connected with theair-chamber of the pump, for separating the air from. the water ofcondensation prior to discharging the water from the pump, a valve inthe connection between the said air-separating chamber and 'the saidpump air-chamber,

and a valved connection between the sepa rating-chamber and thesuction-chamber'of the pump.

r 3. A vacuum-heating system provided with a pump for maintaining apartial vacuum in the system and for forcing the Water of condensationback into the boiler, an air-sepa' ratin chamber connected with theair-chamber o the pump, for separating the air from the water ofcondensation prior to discharging the water from the pump, and anautobetween the said air-separating chamber and the suction chamber ofthe said pump, a valve in the said connection, and adlaphra in connectedwith the said valve andcontrol ed by the pressure ofthe water in thesaidairseparating chamber.

' 5. A vacuum heating system provided with a pump, an expansionsteam-trap receiving the :water of condensation from the radiators, awater-receiving chamber connected with the steam-trap'and connected withthe suction-chamber of the said pump, an air-sepa IVIO rating chamberconnected wlththe pump air-chamber, a connection between .the said airseparating chamber. and the suctionchamber of .thesaid pump, a valvemthe said connection, a diaphragm controlling the said valve andactuated by the pressure of. the l water in the said air-separatingchamber; and

a heater through which extends the dischargepipe leading from the pumpto the boiler, the

. a heater being heated by thesteam previous to the latter passing totheradiators.

6. A vacuum heating system provided with.

a pump, an expansion steam-trap receiving the water of condensationfrom-the radiators, a water-receiving chamber connected with :thesteam-trap and connected with the suc- 1 tion -chamber of the said pump,an air-sepa:

rating chamber connectedwithzthe pump air-chamber, a manually-controlledgraduating-valve between the said pump air-chamher and theair-separating chamber, a connection between the said air-separatingchamher and the suction-chamber of the said pump, a valve in the saidconnection, a diaphra m controlling the said valve and actuated iy thepressure of the water in the said air-separatin chamber, and a heaterthrough which extenc ls the discharge pi e leading from the pump-to theboiler, the eater being heated by the steam previous to the latterpassing to the radiators.

7. A vacuum heating system comprising a radiator connected with asteam-supply, a receiver for the water of condensation, a connectionbetween the radiator and the re-,

ceiver, a steam-trap in the said connection, a vacuum-pump havmg itssuction-chamber connected w1th the said receiver, a boiler connectedwith thedischargepipe of the said pump, and an air-separating chamberconnected with the air-chamber and the suctionchamber of the pump.

8. A vacuum heating system comprising a radiator connected with asteam-supply, a

receiver for the water of condensation, a connection between theradiator and the receiver, a steam-trap in the said connection, avacuum-pump having its suction-chamber connected with the said receiver,a boiler connected with the discharge pipe of the said pump, an air-searating chamber connected with the air-c amber of the pump, a pipeconnecting the said air-separating chamber with the suction-chamber ofthe said ump, a valve in the said pi e, and a diap a In controlling thesaid va ve and controlled y '10. In a vacuum heatin system, thecombination with a pump, an an air-separating chamber, of a connectionbetween the separating-chamber and the pump, a valve in said connection,a casing connected with the air-separating chamber, and a diaphragm inthe casing and connected with the said valve.

11. In a vacuum heating system, the combination with an air-separatingchamber, and a pump, of a connection between the separating-chamber andthe pump, a valve in said connection, a casing connected with theseparating-chamber, a diaphragm in the casing, and provided with a stem,a coupling between the stem of the diaphragm and the valve-stem, and aweighted lever connected with said coupling.

In testimony whereof I have signed I my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLAYTON A. DUNHAM.

